Geauga YMCA Expedition Games
Games for your Circle!
FIREMEN. ( Active.)
Turn the sleeves of 2 jackets inside out. Hang these jackets on the backs of 2
chairs. The chairs are with their backs to each other at a distance of 1 meter.
Put a 2m. rope under these 2 chairs. Both of the participants stand at their
chairs. On hearing the signal, they take their jackets off the chairs, turn the
sleeves out, put them on and do up all the buttons. Then each "fireman" runs
round the chair of the rival, takes his seat and pulls the rope. The first
player to cope with the task is the winner.
ZOMBIE. ( Active.)
Two pairs participate in this game. Each pair stands hand in hand with their
adjoining hands tied together. With their free hands (one with the right hand
and other with the left one) they must wrap up the package, bind the rope round
it and tie it a bow. The pair which finishes the task the first is the winner.
PROMPT WATER-CARRIERS. ( Active.)
Two players compete in this game. For each player there is a chair with a bowl
of water and a spoon on it. A few steps away there are two more chairs with an
empty glass on each of them. The object of the player is to fill the empty
glass with water as soon as possible. The player who is the first to do it is
the winner.
ON THE MARSH. ( Active.)
Each player is given 2 sheets of paper. The player must cross "the marsh"
stepping only on "hummocks" - the sheets of paper. At first the player steps on
one of the sheets with his/her feet. Another sheet he/she places in front of
him/her. Then he/she must step on this sheet and put the previous one in front
of. The player who crosses the room the first is the winner.
QUICK HEAD. ( Active.)
Each player is given a paper cap with the needle at its top. The object is to
burst as many balloons as possible with the help of the needle on the cap.
PASS A HAT. ( Active.)
The players are in 2 circles: inner one and outer one. One player in each
circle has a hat on his/her head. The object is to pass the hat round the
circle. But the players mustn't use their hands while passing the hat from head
to head. The team which passes the hat round the circle the first wins the game.
WITH THE HELP OF ONE HAND. ( Active.)
For each player (there must be not more then 4 of them) there is a heap of many
small and some big objects. The task is to carry all of them in one hand to the
distance of 5-7 meters being blindfolded. The players mustn't hold the objects
with the other hand or drop them on the floor. The player who covers the
distance the first becomes the winner.
CENTIPEDES. ( Active.)
In a spacious room you can arrange centipedes race. The players form up in 2
lines in file with their hands on the waists of the players in front of them.
Near the opposite wall there stands a chair or a flag. On hearing the signal of
the leader the teams run round the chair or the flag and return back. While
running one cannot take his/her hands off the waist of the person in front of.
If the chain is broken the team looses the game. The team also looses the game
if it overturns and doesn't lift the chair or the flag. The game may be funnier
if you ask the teams to run round the chair or the flag squatting.
LAND, WATER. ( Active.)
This is a game for attentive players. On hearing the word "land" the players
jump forward, on hearing the word "water" backward. Then the word "land" is
suddenly changed into "bank". The actions of the players must be the same as
after the word "land". The word "water" may be changed into "sea", "lake",
"river", etc. The player who often mistakes is out.
FOOTBALL WITH THE BALLOON. ( Active.)
A balloon is put on the floor. At the distance of 5-6 steps from it there
stands the person who wants to make a penalty kick. At first he is blindfolded
and then asked to come to the balloon and kick it. Sometimes you may make this
game more complicated by turning the player around for several times before he
kicks the balloon. It`s a real fun when the player having accurately made those
5-6 steps kicks the air, because he went in the wrong direction.
PAPER-BAGS. ( Active.)
Make 2-4 paper-bags. Tie 2-4 2 meter long threads to the stake or to the
chair's back at the head-level of the players. The players put the paper bags
on the threads with the their wide parts facing them. The players are at the
distance of 1-2 steps from each other. The threads are tight. The paper-bags
are equalized. At the leader's command the players begin to blow into their
paper-bags. The player whose paper-bag moves forward faster becomes the winner.
MONGOLIAN GAME (TSOROG-BOMBOG). ( Active.)
For this game you'll need 2 large cardboard funnels. The opening in the narrow
part of each funnel must not be larger than a coin, the opening in the wide
part must be large enough to put it on the player's face. Beside the funnels
you'll need 2 little wooden bricks and 4 chairs. To begin the game put 2 chairs
in a line at a distance of 3-4 meters from each other. Opposite each chair (at
the distance of 10-12 meters) put one more chair. Two players compete in this
game. To begin with they sit on their chairs with the funnels in their hands.
The bricks are at their feet on the floor. As the leader commands: "Begin!" -
the players put the funnels on their faces (so as to see the floor only
thorough the little opening) and begin to drive their bricks to "the goal" (the
interval between the legs of the opposite chair). The player who copes with the
task the first becomes the winner. But it's rather difficult to cope with this
task, because the players can see only the little space of the floor in the
little opening of the funnel, while after each kick the brick drops out of the
field of vision. Advice for the leader: watch that the players don't take off
their funnels (otherwise the game makes no sense), watch that the players kick
the brick and don't drag it.
SPOON. ( Active.)
Put a stool upside down. At each leg of the stool stands a player. The players
are blindfolded. Each of them holds a spoon in his/her hand. At the leader's
command the players make 3 steps forward, turn around and try to place the
spoon on the leg of the stool as soon as possible. Two players who place their
spoons the first win the game.
CENTIPEDES-2. ( Active.)
Divide the players into 2 teams of 10-20 members each. The teams form up in the
file. Each team is given a rope. The players take the rope with their left or
right hands from the both sides evenly. Then each player takes him/herself by
the right or left ankle. At the leader's command the centipedes jump 10-12 m
forward, holding the rope with their hands. Then they turn around and jump
backward. The players may also run with the both feet, but in this case the
players must stand in the line closer to each other. The team which manages to
jump or to run to finish line the first becomes the winner (while running the
players mustn't let the rope off).
TWO BODIES ON THREE LEGS. ( Active.)
Each team delegates 2 players to take part in this competition. Two players of
each team stand hand in hand. Their adjacent ankles are tied together. At the
leader's command they run to the agreed place and return back. The fastest pair
wins this competition.
SPIDER. ( Active.)
Draw 2 circles on the start line. Divide the players into 2 teams (15-20
players in each one). Stand each team in a circle. Rope the players of each
team together. So, each team is "a spider". At the leader's command "the
spiders" begin to move to the finish-line. On the finish line there are 2 more
circles. The spiders must get to them as fast as possible.
IN THE STATE OF WEIGHTLESSNESS. ( Active.)
The players sit down on "the astronauts armchairs" (on the chairs) one at a
time. Their task is to gather 10 objects disposed around the chair (at the
distance of 1,5m from it) at the leaders command. While gathering the objects
the players may stand up and move away from their chairs, but they must not
"let their chairs off". The player who fulfils the task the first is the winner.
THE MORE HASTE - THE LESS SPEED. ( Active.)
Put a rattle on a round elastic lace. The players have the round elastic laces
on their knees. The rattle must be between the knees. The players` task is to
cover the distance as soon as possible trying not to make noise.
RUNNERS. ( Active.)
Get ready 2 very large shorts made of thick cloth. Each pair of shorts is for
the team which consists of 2 players. One of the players in each pair puts one
leg through one of the shorts-legs, the other puts his/her leg through the
other shorts-leg. Having one pair of shorts for two the players must cover the
prescribed distance. The team which manages to cover the distance the first
wins.
THE MOST PRACTICAL GENTLEMAN. ( Active.)
Fill a toy lorry with any vegetables, fruit or nuts. Tie a string to the lorry.
Attach a stick to the end of the string. The object is to wind the string on
the stick as fast as possible, trying not to spill the contents of the lorry.
The jury determines "the fastest" driver with the help of the stop-watch. The
gentleman who manages to deliver the load safe and sound in the shortest period
of time is the most practical gentleman.
SCORE A GOAL. ( Active.)
Give 2 balloons to each player - a round and a long one. Using the long balloon
as a bat the players must drive the round balloon into the box, which is put on
one side. The player whose balloon is driven into the box the first is the
winner. It's easier to judge about the winner if the balloons of the players
are of different colors.
FROM HUMMOCK TO HUMMOCK. ( Active.)
Ask 3-6 persons to participate in this game. Each of them is given 2 paper
(plastic) glasses filled with water. In front of each player on the floor there
are 5 cardboard circles which are situated at the equal distance from each
other. The players' task is to get to the finish line jumping from one circle
to another. The player who has water in his/her glasses at the end of the game
is the winner. To be more accurate and to make the game funnier you may measure
the water in the glasses by the measuring glass.
WHAT'S BEHIND THE BACK? ( Active.)
Two players take part in this game. They are rivals. Pin well-defined pictures
and paper circles with the numbers (c.f. 96, 105 etc.) on the backs of the
players. The players are in the circle. (The circle may be drawn with the chalk
on the floor.) They stand on one foot. Their task is to catch sight of the
picture and number on the rival's back, jumping on one foot. The player who is
the first in "deciphering" the rival is the winner.
UNDERWATER SWIMMING. ( Active.)
Give a pair of flippers and a glass of water to each team. The first player
stands at the start-line, gets on the flippers, takes the glass of water and
lifts it above the head. So he/she is "under the water". At the signal the
players begin to move forwards. On having covered the fixed distance the first
"submariner" passes the flippers and the glass to the next player. If the water
spilled from the glass after the first run, add some more water.
BLUE AND RED BALL. ( Active.)
The teams which consist of the youths and girls get into the circle. The teams
are at some distance from each other. The youths and the girls take their turns
in the circle. The leader is in the center of the circle. He/she has 2 balls in
the hands (a blue one and a red one). He/she throws the balls to the players
and gets them back. The girls may catch only the red ball, the youths only the
blue one. The leader tries to confuse the players: he/she may throw 2 balls at
once or pretend that he/she is going to throw the ball in one direction, while
he/she is going to throw it in the opposite one. The player who makes a mistake
pays a forfeit (fulfils the task) and is out of the game. The team in which
more players remain wins.
HOLD THE HANDS. ( Active.)
Draw 2 lines at the both ends of the playground. The distance between the lines
is 15-20m. The teams with equal number of players stand at the first line at
both ends of the playground. On the second line in front of each team there
stands a little flag. At the signal the first player of each team runs round
the flag, returns to his/her team, takes the next player by the hand and they
run round the flag together. Then they run to their team, take the third
player, then the fourth etc., until they have all the players of their team in
the chain. The players mustn't break their chain. The team which finishes the
run the first wins.
NIGHT ORIENTEERING. ( Active.)
At the distance of 10m from the start line there stands a stool. The first
players of the teams are blindfolded. At the signal they must run (go) round
the stool and come back to the team. The second players in the teams are
already blindfolded and they get ready to continue the game. While the player
is running the team must support him/her crying c.f. "backwards", "forwards",
"a bit to the right", "a bit to the left" etc. All the teams cry at the same
time. So the player must sort out the exclamations addressed to him/her. When
the last player comes back to the start line "day comes" for the team. The team
to which "day comes" earlier wins the game.
PUTTING A SHOT. ( Active.)
Put a ping-pong ball on the edge of the table. The player is blindfolded.
He/she stands with his/her back to the table. At the command he/she makes 5
steps forwards, turns around 3 times, comes back to the table and blows the
ball off the table. Very often after the turning around the players lose their
orientation. Then it's very funny to watch the player who tries to blow the
ball off the place the ball has never been.
FEED A FRIEND. ( Active.)
The players stand with their backs to each other. They hold fishing-rods in
their hands. To the strings of the fishing-rods there attached the unwrapped
bars of chocolate. The players' task is to eat the bar from the other player's
fishing-rod as soon as possible.
WHO IS THE DEFTEST ? ( Active.)
Put the figures (toys) on the floor. As the music plays everyone walks around
the circle, following the leader. When the music stops everyone must grasp the
figure. A person who hasn't a figure is out. The number of figures should
lessen every time. The winner is the person who stays till the end of the play.
FIND THE PLACE. ( Active.)
The chairs are put in a line with their seats facing opposite sides. The leader
of the game takes a long stick and walks round all the players, who are sitting
on the chairs. Then he strikes the floor with the stick near one of the
players. This player stands up and follows the leader. So the leader walks
round the chairs, strikes with the stick near the players and very soon he is
followed by the whole suite of the players. The leader makes different
movements and all the rest repeat them. Suddenly the leader strikes with the
stick twice. This is a signal for the players to take their places as soon as
possible. (It is not easy at all now, as the chairs stand with their seats
facing different sides.) The leader tries to take one of the places himself.
The player who doesn't manage to take a seat becomes the leader.
DISCOVERER. ( Active.)
At first the players are asked to "discover" a new planet, i.e. to blow up the
balloon as soon as possible, and then "to inhabit" this planet with the
inhabitants, i.e. to draw on balloon with the felt-tip-pen as many little men
as possible. The player who has the greatest number of men on the balloon - is
the winner.
HEAD, HAND AND FEET. ( Active.)
This game is a kind of little race. You must pass the distance of 10-20 meters
long with the book on your head, having a glass full of water in your left hand
and a broom in the right. At the same time you must roll a ball with your feet.
The fastest is the winner.
LONG ARM. ( Active.)
There are 3 empty 0,33 L cans on the floor. 3 players stand by them. Then the
leader asks them to take as long step as possible. After that the players are
asked to take their cans on the spot, without touching the floor with the hands
and knees.
POOR PIGGY. ( Active.)
Tie up the corners of the pillow with the string. Draw a snout and eyes on it.
Tie a ribbon round the "neck". Get into a circle and start the piggy going
around from player to player. As the music plays the piggy is passed around the
circle. As the music stops, the player who was the last in passing the piggy
says "oink-oink" and gets a prize from a bowl, standing in the center of the
circle.
BUILDER. ( Active.)
In 1 minute time you are to build the highest possible tower, using 0,33 L
cans. After the leader's signal the construction is stopped. If the tower goes
to ruin and you have some more time, just begin from the very beginning. The
number of points got by the players depends on the number of cans in the tower.
NEWTON'S LAW. ( Active.)
Under the ceiling there hang some apples on the strings. The players are given
the scissors. The players divide into pairs. The first player in each pair cuts
off the apple, the second player tries to catch it into the hat ( the hats are
given to them beforehand). The difficulty is that it is prohibited to take the
hat off the floor. The pair which manages to gather the greatest number of
apples wins the game.
JUMPERS. ( Active.)
The players must make as many jumps with the skipping-rope as possible having
the flippers on their feet.
BAD PAINTERS. ( Quiet.)
The players must draw any picture with the brush, having the boxing-gloves on
their hands.
HOW MANY CANDIES? ( Quiet.)
Under the ceiling there hangs a little transparent sac with candies. (Each
candy is wrapped.) On the wall there is a poster, proposing the players to
guess the number of candies in the sac. They write the proposed number of
candies on the sheets of paper and put them into a little box, standing not far
off the poster. (Sheets of paper and pencils are on the table near the poster.)
At the end of the party the so-called "account committee", made of the
participants of the party, calculates the number of candies in the sac and then
"unseal" the box with the answers. The player who guessed the number or gave
the similar answer gets a prize - the sac with candies.
HOP-DOP. ( Quiet.)
All the players (any number of them) are divided into 2 teams and then sit at
the table facing each other. One group is given a little coin. The leader of
this team must give the coin to one of his partners. He must do it
imperceptibly. At the command "Hop" of the opposite team the coin must be shown
over the table. At the command "Dop" - it is again hid under the table, where
the players continue to pass it from hand to hand. At the command "Hands on the
table!" the players put their hands on the table with the palms down. The
leader of the opposite team must guess who has the coin between his/her
fingers. If he/she guesses, the coin is passed to the opposite team and the
game begins anew.
WHO IS IT? ( Quiet.)
Everyone takes a sheet of paper and at the top of it draws the head either of a
men, an animal or a bird. Then the sheet must be folded so as the drawn head
can't be seen, except a little part of the neck. Then this drawing is passed to
the player next to. Now every player has a new sheet with the picture he/she
hasn't seen yet. He/she continues drawing. Now everyone draws the body then
folds the paper and again passes it to the player next to. At last must be
drawn the low extremeties. And now unfold the picture and let you be surprised
at seeing a creature you've got!
CHAIN. ( Quiet.)
In a fixed time the player must make a chain of the paper clips. The player
whose chain is the longest wins the game.
BURGLAR. ( Quiet.)
The players are given a bunch of different keys and a padlock. The object is to
fit the key and to unlock the padlock as fast as possible.
HEN. ( Quiet.)
The object of the game is to write a word as legible as possible with the
felt-tip-pen tied to the foot.
SPOILED TELEPHONE-2. ( Quiet.)
This game is well-known to many people. The players must transmit a complicated
phrase to the last player in the row. Usually when the phrase comes to the last
player it is distorted. There is a similar game. But instead of the phrase, the
players transmit a drawing. The first player draws an arbitrary object on the
sheet of paper. The second looks at it for 10 seconds, then draws the similar
object on his sheet of paper, shows it to the third etc. Then the players
compare the first drawing with the last.
PANTOMIME. ( Quiet.)
Get ready as many different articles as there are the players. Take any
articles you like - a piece of soap, a pen, a sponge, a candy, a balloon etc.
Do not show all these articles to the players. Write the name of each article
on the sheet of paper. Fold up all the sheets of paper so that the players
cannot see what is written on them. Each player draws out a sheet of paper.
With the help of pantomime the players must show what is written on their
sheets of paper. All the rest players try to guess what kind of article is
represented to them. The player who guesses what kind of article it is gets
this article as a prize.
WITH THE CLOSED EYES. ( Quiet.)
With the thick mittens on the hands try to guess what object do you hold.
DRAW A COW. ( Quiet.)
The players must draw a cow being blindfolded. At first they draw the eyes,
then drop the hand and make a pause, then draw the snout, drop the hand, make a
pause and draw the horns etc.
ARTISTS - VIRTUOSOS. ( Quiet.)
Tie a felt-tip-pen to a ski stick. The task is to draw something or to write a
text. (Do not put the stick on the shoulder!) The player who fulfils the task
the fastest and the most accurate gets the prize.
DASHING DRIVERS. ( Active.)
Put the glasses or little buckets full of water on the toy cars. Tie the
strings of 3-5 meters to the cars. At the command the players must wind the
string on the stick so as to draw the cars to themselves. If the water in the
glass (bucket) on one of the cars is splashing the leader loudly names the
number of "the driver". This "driver" stops winding for a second. The player
who is the first to draw the car to himself (not having splashed the water) is
the winner. He gets the prize.
PUSS IN BOOTS. ( Active.)
The players are divided into two teams. Each team is given a pair of very big
boots and a wide-brimmed hat. At the signal the players get on the boots, put
on the hat, run to the little flag, take off the hat, make a bow, put on the
hat again, return to their teams and give the hats and the boots to the next
players in the teams.
DOLLS. ( Active.)
There are 2 dresses and 2 headscarves on the chair. The player who is the first
in putting on the dress and tieing a scarf on his head is the winner.
DON'T DIE OF THIRST. ( Active.)
You'll need a cardboard ring with the diameter of 3-5 cm. Attach the ring to
the 1m. long stick. Place some bottles in the room. The object of the player is
to put the ring on the neck of one bottle, holding the stick by the end. It'd
be better to use in this game the beverages you drink in your company. These
bottles would be the prizes.
HOSTESSES. ( Active.)
Two dolls lie in their cradles. Two players must wake up the dolls, do their
morning exercises with them, wash their faces, clean their teeth, comb, make
their beds, dress them, feed them, have a walk with them, play with them, wash
their hands, feed them, undress them and sing a lullaby. The player who copes
with the tasks the first is the winner.
TO BURST A RIVAL'S BALLOON. ( Active.)
The balloon is tied to the left leg of each of 2 players. The object of the
game is to burst a rival's balloon with the right leg.
RAFFLING THE PRIZE. ( Active.)
The prize is raffled among 2 players. They stand facing each other, the prize
is on the seat of the chair, standing in front of them. The leader begins to
count: one, two, three… hundred; one, two, three… thousand etc. The object of
the game is to grab the prize when the leader says "three" (not three thousand
or three hundred).
SKITTLE. ( Active.)
The player stands at the chair, on which there is a skittle. Then he/she makes
8-10 steps forward and stops. Here the player is blindfolded and turned around
for several times. Then he/she must make 8-10 steps backward to the chair and
take a skittle. The player who manages to do it gets the prize.
POTATO IN THE SPOON. ( Active.)
Each player must run a certain distance, holding a spoon with a big potato in
it in the hand. The players run in turn. The jury notes down the time. If the
potato falls down, the player must put it in the spoon again and continue
his/her run. To run without a potato in the spoon means to break the rules. The
player who covered the distance in the shortest time is the winner. The
competition of 2 teams in this game may be more interesting.
NOT WORSE THAN KANGAROO. ( Active.)
Each player must cover the certain distance jumping with the small box or
tennis ball between his/her knees. The time is noted down. If the ball or the
small box falls down, the player places it between his/her knees again and
continues to jump. The player who covers the distance in the shortest time is
the winner.
CATCH THE FISH. ( Active.)
Put in a large cardboard box empty cans, old boots and cardboard fish. On each
can, boot or fish there is a special little wire hoops. The fishing-rod is a
long stick with the wire hook at the end. The hook is attached to the rod with
the help of the thick string. The players catch the fish not seeing it (because
it lies on the bottom of the box. The smaller is the hook on the fish, the
bigger is the number of points written on it. The players catch the fish in
turn. Each of them has only one minute to cope with it. The first player who
has the necessary number of points is the winner. The players who catch a can
or a boot loose half of their points.
CINDERELLA. ( Active.)
Mix some peas, beans, lens, dried ashberries (not more than 3-4 kinds at a
time). "Cinderella's" object is to sort this mix being blindfolded. The player
who manages to sort this mix in the shortest period of time becomes the winner.
Sometimes the players make mistakes - they put the corns to the wrong heaps. In
these cases the players must be fined. The leader puts the wrong corns to the
mix again.
WIND UP THE CORD. ( Active.)
Make a knot in the middle of the long cord. Attach a pencil to each end of the
cord. Two players wind up the cord on their pencils. The fastest player becomes
the winner. Instead of cord you may take thick string.
CUP AND BALL. ( Active.)
It's an old French game with a cup and a ball. The object of the player is to
catch the ball with the cup. Take a 40cm long lace and attach one end of it to
the ping-pong ball with scotch. Another end of the lace is attached to the
bottom of the plastic cup or tied to the handle of the cup. Several players
participate in this game. They must toss the ball up and then catch it with the
cup. The player gets a point each time he/she catches the ball. The ball is
caught in turn. If one of the players doesn't manage to catch the ball, he/she
passes it to the player next to. The player who has the greatest number of
points is the winner.
THE FASTEST. ( Active.)
The players are divided into 2 teams. Each team is given a sack with a shirt, a
cap, a pair of boots and trousers. At the command the first player of each team
runs to the sack, puts on all enumerated pieces of clothes, says "I'm the
fastest", takes off the clothes, puts them back into the sack and runs to his
team. The next player of each team does the same. The team which finishes the
game the first is the winner.
CROOKED PATH. ( Active.)
Draw a crooked line on the floor with the chalk. It's "a path". The object of
the players is to walk along this "path" looking at it through the binocular
turned upside down. The player who walks this "path" the fastest is the winner.
CAP ON A CAP. ( Active.)
Make a large paper cap and several smaller ones. The smaller caps must be of
different colors. The small caps hang each on the string. In turn the players
put on the large cap and then being blindfolded and turned around for several
times they must squat and stand up so that to hit a smaller cap with the large
one.
DECORATE A FIRTREE. ( Active.)
Take several new year tree decorations with the wire hoops. Take a fishing-rod
with hook. With the help of the fishing-rod the player put all the decorations
on the firtree and then takes them off. The player who copes with it in a
prescribed time (e.g. 2 minutes) wins the game. For a firtree you may also use
a dry branch with plenty of
twigs.
THERMOMETER. ( Active.)
Without using the hands the teams pass a fake thermometer to one another. The
thermometer must always be under the left arm. The fastest team wins the game.
JOURNEY. ( Active.)
Draw several crossing "paths" with the color chalks on the floor. Each player
chooses his/her own path and walks along it as fast as possible. The player who
finishes "the journey" the first is the winner.
BUTTERFLY. ( Active.)
Each of the 2 participants takes a big butter-fly-net and a balloon. The object
of each player is to catch the rival's balloon with the net as soon as
possible, trying not "to loose" his/her own balloon.
HUNTERS. ( Active.)
The players' object is to fire a gun or to shoot a bow. But they should fire at
those animals only, the voices of which they hear on the tape. Among these
animals may be a fox, a cock, a duck, a cow, a frog etc.
PUT ON A CAP. ( Active.)
The object of the player is to put on a paper cap attached to long stick onto
the rival's head. Usually 2 players take part in this game. They try to put on
the caps on each other's heads as fast as possible.
MARATHON. ( Active.)
With the help of a usual syringe the player must lead the ping-pong ball to the
end of the distance as fast as possible.
TWO OXEN. ( Active.)
Put "the harness" (a long string)
on 2 players. Each of them tries to drag the rival off his/her direction. At
the same time each player tries to reach the prize, which lies at a 50cm
distance from each player.
RALLY. ( Active.)
Sitting on the skateboard the player must reach the place where there is a
prize. You may change this game: Standing on the skateboard and using the
skiing sticks to reach the finish as fast as possible.
DIVER. ( Active.)
With the flippers on their feet the players must pass a certain route, looking
through the binocular turned upside down.
WITCH. ( Active.)
The player steps with one of his feet into the empty pail. Another foot is on
the ground. Holding the handle of the pail in hands and a swab in another, the
player must cover the fixed distance and then pass a pail and a swab to the
following player.
GOLDEN KEY. ( Active.)
The players act as swindlers from the tale "Pinoccio". In each pair of the
players there should be Alice fox and Bazilio cat. Alice fox bends one knee and
holds it with the hand. Bazilio cat is blindfolded. Alice fox and Bazilio cat
cover the distance embracing one another. The pair which hobbles the finish the
first gets "the golden key"- the prize.
WITCH-2. ( Active.)
Each player takes a twig. Then the players choose "a witch". "The witch" must
be the deftest player. At first "the witch" draws the line of border of her
camp. All the rest players are out of the camp, they mustn't walk there. Then
the witch goes out and cries: "The witch goes out for a walk!" and begins to
chase the players with the twigs. The player who is struck by the witch's twig,
becomes her "son" and they quickly run the camp. All the rest players chase
them striking them with the twigs. Then "the witch" goes out for the second
time. Now she holds her "son" by his twig and they chase the players together.
But it is only "the witch", who may strike the players with the twig. Her "son"
may only detain the player. But the player becomes the witch's captive only
when she strikes him/her with the twig. New captives become witch's "children".
They hold each other by the twigs, so they make a chain. As the new player is
caught the chain breaks and they together run to the witch's camp, being chased
by the other players. The witch's "children" must also save themselves (to run
to the camp)
if the chain is broken by one of the players or if "the witch" forgets to say
her words: "The witch goes out for a walk!" The player who strikes the witch's
children not in time becomes witch's "son". The game finishes when all the
players become witch`s children or when she catches more than 4-5 players.
POLAR BEARS. ( Active.)
Outline the playing ground (approximately 10m x 12m)
- "the sea". Near it outline the less ground - "the ice - floe". 2 players are
"polar bears", whose place is "the ice - floe". All the rest players are "the
bearcubs". They take up their positions on the large playing ground - "the
sea". On hearing "the signal" "the polar bears" begin to catch "the bearcubs"
("The polar bears" link their arms and catch "the bearcubs "so that they are
between their linked arms). The captured "bearcub" is led to "the ice - floe".
When there are 2
"bearcubs" on "the ice - floe" they may also catch "the bearcubs". The game
continues until all 'the bearcubs" are caught. The player who is caught the
last is considered to be the deftest. The rules of the game. The players who
run out the playing ground are considered to be caught and they must go to "the
ice - floe". "The polar bears mustn't grab the players at their clothes or
hands. They may only encircle them. The captured "bearcubs" mustn't tear
themselves away from "the polar bears".
CROSSING ROADS. ( Active.)
One player chases the other. But the chased player may be "saved", if one of
the players crosses the line of run between the chaser and the chased.
According to the rules of the game the chased turns to chase the player who
"saved" his/her fellow-player.
FISHING-ROD. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is in the center of the circle with
"the fishing-rod" in his/her hands. "The fishing-rod" is a 3-4m long string
with the sac full of sand attached to the end of it. Standing in the center of
the circle the leader spins round "the fishing-rod". While gliding the floor
the sac may touch the players' feet. So their task is to jump up as the sac
does not touch them. The player touched by the sac is out of the game.
HUNTING WITH THE BALL. ( Active.)
Divide the players into "animals" and "hunters". Give " the hunters" the balls.
"The hunters" try to hit "the animals" with them. "The animal hit by the ball
is out of the game. The task of "the animals" is to catch the ball on the spot.
TAG. ( Active.)
There are several variants of the well-known game.
The first variant - to catch the running player only (not to catch players who
squat). The second variant - not to catch the players who hold each other by
the hands
The third variant: Every player except the leader has a fillet hidden under the
collar. The leader tries to draw the fillet out. The player whose fillet is
drawn out becomes the leader.
LITTLE FISHERMAN. ( Active.)
Draw a circle (5-7m in radius)
round the tree or the stake - "the pond". Tie a 3-4m long string to the tree.
The leader - "the little fisherman "holds the end of the string in his hands.
"The fisherman" tries to catch the players - "the fish" - who run within the
circle. The players who are caught are out of the circle. The last player who
remains within the circle becomes the leader in the next round.
SQUIRRELS, NUTS, CONES. ( Active.)
Divide players into groups of three. The first player in each team is "a
squirrel", the second is "a nut", the third is "a cone". Each team, which
consists of "a squirrel, a cone", and "a nut" links their arms, forming a
little circle. The leader is in the center of the playing ground. The leader
cries: "Squirrels!" and all the players named as "squirrels" must exchange
their places. While they are changing the leader tries to occupy any of the
vacant places. If he/she manages to do it he/she becomes "the squirrel" and the
former "squirrel", who has no place becomes the leader. At the command "Nuts!"
or "Cones!" The players exchange the places accordingly. When the game is in
full swing the leader may command: "Squirrels, nuts, cones!" Then all the
players must exchange their places. Here you may stop the game.
BLIND MAN'S BUFF. ( Active.)
The instructor holds an open umbrella in his/her hands.
- Children, my umbrella longs to fly away. It longs to travel. Those, who are
not afraid, follow me!
All the children stand under the instructor's umbrella. They are whirling to
the music with the leader. Then it gets dark. (The instructor switches off the
light.)
Strange sounds are heard. (The instructor imitates animals' cries.)
- Where we are? It seems to me we are in jungles. Let's listen to the sounds.
The trees want to tell us something. Can you hear? They propose us to play
blind man's buff. But this game is not a usual one. (The children are given the
masks of animals - bear, wolf, panther, monkey etc.)
- Who are you now? What tale have you remembered?
- "Jungle Book"!
- Right you are! Your leader is Mawgli, all of you - are his friends. Mawgli
must remember the masks of the players. When he catches one of the players he
must recognize the player by his/her mask. All the players may attract leader's
attention by the sounds. But the players may only utter the sounds of the
animals the masks of which they have. e.g. "the panther" may utter "mew",
"r-r-r", "the snake" - "sh-sh-sh" etc.
You may make this game more difficult. All the children take different noise
making and musical instruments: pipes, rattles, bells, mouth organs etc. The
leader must recognize the players by the sounds of their instruments. The
players exchange the instruments every round.
CITIES. ( Active.)
Draw some circles (1,5 m in diameter)
on the ground. The circles are at the distance of about 2 m from each other.
Each circle has the name of the city: Moscow, Washington, Berlin etc. The
number of the circles is less by one the number of the players. At the
instructor's command the players take up their places in the circles. One of
the players has no "the city" of his/her own. He/she is a leader. The object of
the leader is to occupy any of the vacant cities. The object of the players is
"to tease" the leader. They decide upon their exchanging the cities behind the
leader's back with the help of the gestures and run to each other's circles. In
this moment the leader can take up any of these circles. The player who
"looses" his/her circle becomes the leader.
WOLF AND HARE. ( Active.)
The players choose the leader and sit down on the ground in a circle. The
leader slowly walks round the circle from the outside. As he/she walks he/she
touches each player saying "wolf" or "hare". If the player is called "wolf"
he/she stands up and runs down the leader, while the leader tries to take up
the vacant place of the "wolf". If the leader takes up the vacant place, "the
wolf" becomes the leader.
MUDDLE. ( Active.)
There are 2 teams in this game. The players of the first team stand with their
backs to the other team. Meanwhile the players of the second team take each
other by the hands and get into a circle. They begin "to tangle"(to step over
each other's hands so as to make a tangled ball)
. While "tangling" the players mustn't let each other's hands go. The players
of the first team must "untangle" this ball.
PASS THE BALLOON. ( Active.)
Players are in a circle. They pass the balloon to each other behind their
backs, trying not to hold it for a long time in their hands. Then after the
signal the player who has a balloon in his hands is out of the game.
WHO IS THE MOST ATTENTIVE? ( Active.)
The players get into a circle and fulfil the commands of the leader. But they
must fulfil only those commands which begin with the word "Children". For
example: "Children, squat!" "Children, link your arms!" "Stand apart!" The
player, who fulfils the last command is out.
BLIND MAN'S BUFF ON THE SPOT. ( Active.)
The leaders is blindfolded and placed in the middle of the room. All the
players choose their places at any piece of furniture (at the chair, table,
sofa etc). Then "the blind man" turns around for several times and starts his
search.
All the rest players try not to be caught by him. But at the same time they
mustn't leave their places. They are only allowed to squat, to bow, to climb on
to their pieces of furniture etc. Anyway they must touch their places at least
with the fingers or toes. Those who come off their places are out. The task of
"the blind man" is not only to touch the player, but also to recognize him/her.
If "the blind man" mistakes in identifying the person, all the rest clap their
hands and the game goes on.
WHO HAS THE RING? ( Active.)
Take a little ring, pass string or fishing line through it so as to make a
large circle with the ring on it. The players sit around the circle holding it
in their hands. The leader is out of the circle. On hearing the signal the
players pass the ring along the string round the circle. If the leader notices
the ring in someone's hands, the player who has it becomes the leader.
MUSIC CHAIR. ( Active.)
It's probably the most popular game. Put several chairs in a circle with their
backs inside. The number of the chairs must be less by one than the number of
the players. As the music plays the players walk round the chairs. As the music
stops, the players try to take their places on the chairs. The player who
hasn't taken the place is out. After that take away one chair (as the number of
players became less by one). The player who remains the last in the game is the
winner. Sometimes you may
change this game a little bit. As the music stops, the player, who hasn't taken
the place, sits down on the lap of any player. Then one more chair is taken
away. The game goes on until all the players sit on the lap of each other.
THE MOST PRACTICAL LADY. ( Active.)
Pour some wheat, peas, oats, beans etc. into the basin. All the ladies sit
around the basin. They are blindfolded. Their task is to pick out as many peas
as possible in one minute. The lady who manages to pick out the greatest number
of peas is the most practical one.
VISITING THE GRANDMOTHER. ( Active.)
There are 2 teams (6 players each)
in this game. The leader is "a grandmother". She sits at a table. On the table
there is a tea-pot, two cups, two dishes with cookies. At the leaders command
the grandchildren one at a time come to "the grandmother", greet her politely,
ask her how does she feel, pour out a cup of tea take a cookie and thank "the
grandmother". "The grandmother" chooses the kindest, the politest and the
fastest "grandson/daughter" and gives him/her the prize.
RACE. ( Active.)
The players run over the blocks of wood in zigzag line riding a broom. The
blocks of wood are at the distance of 2-3 m from each other. The player who
runs the distance the first and doesn't topple over the blocks of wood is the
winner.
PRIZE IN A LOOP. ( Active.)
On the table there are 2 prizes (e.g. an apple and a candy)
over them there stands a stool. From the stool hang down two loops. The player
must put his/her hand in them to take the prize. One of the players holds the
ends of the laces with the loops in his/her hands. The second player tries to
grab the prizes. The player who is caught by his hand looses one point as well
as his opponent who doesn't succeed in tightening the loop. If the first player
tightens the loop before the other touches the prize he also looses a point.
BLOW INTO A SMALL BOX. ( Active.)
Take an empty small box. Pull out a half of the inside part, put it to the
mouth and blow into it. The small box may fly away rather far. So you may
arrange a competition of "blow shooters". More over with the flying box you
may: 1)
hit a small circle 2)
hit a paper target 3)
hit a basket, which stands on the floor.
WHOSE BALLOON IS BIGGER? ( Active.)
This competition is very easy: the participants receive the balloons and begin
to blow them up. The player whose balloon bursts is out of the game. The player
who blows up the biggest balloon is the winner.
PUT A SHOT! ( Active.)
Pour 1/3 of glass of water into each balloon. Then blow up the balloons to an
equal size. Draw 1.5 diameter circles on the floor with the chalk. The balloon
is "a shot". The player must "put a shot" as far as possible. The player who
puts "a shot" the fartherst is the winner.
WHO IS FASTER? ( Active.)
The players are divided into 2 teams. They sit on the chairs (though they may
compete upright). The leader gives them two empty small boxes without their
inside parts. The
task is to pass a box round the team with the help of the…nose. If the box
falls down, the player must put it on the nose again and continue to pass it.
NOT DEVIATING FROM THE ROUT. ( Active.)
The players of 2 teams form up in file. For each team they draw a 5-6 m line
with the circle at its end. At the leader's command the players (one at a time)
run along the line to the centre of the circle. As they are in the center of
the circle, they raise the right hand and begin to go round looking upwards. On
having made 5 full turns on the spot the players run back along the line,
trying not to deviate from it. The team which finishes the competition the
first wins.
LABYRINTH. ( Active.)
On the playground of 7x12 m put different obstacles (stools, skittles, maces,
etc) as on chess board. In the yard you may use trees for obstacles. Draw a
line
between the obstacles. (If is "a labyrinth")
The player steps on a line and tries to remember the rout. After that he/she
is blindfolded. He/she must walk along the drawn way and go out the labyrinth
without stumbling on the obstacles. The players go through the labyrinth in
turn.
COLLECTING MUSHROOMS. ( Active.)
Put 12-15 plaster casts of mushrooms on the floor. Three players are
blindfolded. They must gather in their baskets as many mushrooms as possible in
3 minutes. The player who manages to gather the greatest number of mushrooms
wins the game.
ACCURATE TURN. ( Active.)
Put a chair or a stool on the playground. The player who wants to participate
in this game sits down on a chair. Then he/she is blindfolded. After that
he/she stands up, makes 5 steps forward, turns to the right, makes 5 more steps
forward and again turns to the right. On having walked the perimeter of the
playground in this way, the player stops and sits down on the chair again. The
player who manages to do it wins the game.
CUTTING OFF THE PRIZES. ( Active.)
Hang some prizes by string from the ceiling. Wrap up the prizes with the
many-colored paper so that the players cannot guess what kind of prizes these
are. The player who wants to get a prize is blindfolded and given scissors. The
player comes to the string and cuts off one of the prizes.
BLACK AND WHITE. ( Active.)
The players are divided into 2 teams: "black" and "white". The teams stand in
lines facing each other. The leader throws a cardboard disk (one side of which
is black, the other is white). Depending on the side of the disk which faces up
(white or black) the players of one team try to catch the players of the
other. The team which
has the greatest number of captives wins. The players may begin catching their
rivals only at the leader's command "White!" or "Black!"
PROHIBITED MOVEMENTS. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. They stand at the distance of stretched arms
from each other. The leader is in the center of the circle. He/she makes
different movements and the players repeat all of them exactly. But there are 2
movements that the players mustn't repeat. Instead of them they must make other
movements. Upon these movements the players agree beforehand c.f. When the
leader puts his/her hands on the back of the head the players must squat, or
when the leader bends forward, the players must clap their hands etc. The
player who makes mistakes is out of the game.
FETCH AN APPLE. ( Active.)
Two teams take part in this game. Each team consists of 6 players. The teams
form up in lines. The first 2 players in each line are given the tea spoons. At
the distance of 8 m from the teams there are 2 chairs. On each chair there is
an apple. The first players run to the chairs with their spoons and put the
apples on them without using the hands. Then they run back, put the apples onto
the spoons of the second players and give their spoons to the third players of
their teams. If the apple falls down the players must pick it with the help of
their spoons and continue the game. The winners and the conquered get apples as
the prize.
NIGHT PATROL. ( Active.)
Two players are chosen as scouts. They stand in the center of the room at the
distance of stretched arms from each other. All the rest players must go
through the room so as not to be caught by the scouts. The scouts are
blindfolded. They mustn't leave their places, they may only bend, and move
their hands. The players who are caught by the scouts are out of the game. They
must pay a forfeit. Repeat the game 2 times. Change the scouts. The scouts who
don't cope with task play the forfeit.
PROBLEM BURDEN. ( Active.)
The players (2 of each team)
are given 2 sticks (0,5m long)
and a board (70-75cm long)
with a little flag fortified on it. The players of each team stand hand in
hand, holding their sticks parallel to the ground. On the sticks they put a
board. They must carry this board to the agreed place. If the board falls down
the players must pick it up and go on their way.
WHO IS FASTER? ( Active.)
Put 2 chairs with their backs to each other at the distance of 2m. Put a long
string under the chairs. The ends of the string are between the feet of the
players sitting on the chairs. Tie a little sac with some sweets or nuts to the
middle of the string. At the leader's command, the players must stand up, run
over the chairs of their rivals, sit down on their own chairs and haul up a
prize on the string. The player who manages to do it the first gets the prize.
MERRY COOKS. ( Active.)
You'll need 2 cook's caps, 2 cook's robes and 2 aprons. All these put on the
stools near each team at the start line. On each opposite stool put a mug with
water, a bottle with a wide neck and a spoon. Divide the players into 2 teams.
Each team forms up a line at the start line. At the leader's command the first
players of each team run to the 1st stool, put on a cap, a robe and an apron
and run to the opposite stool. There they take spoons, ladle some water from
the mugs, pour it into the bottles. Then they run to their teams, take off the
caps, robes and aprons and give them to the next player. The second player of
each team quickly puts on the clothes and does the same task, etc.
MANY COLORED GARLANDS OF BALLOONS. ( Active.)
Each team is given many-colored balloons, lace and string. At the leader's
command the team must make a many-colored garland of balloons. So they must
blow up the balloons, tie them with the string and make a garland. Who'll make
it better and faster?
FROM 1 TO 5. ( Active.)
You'll need plastic balls (different in size)
and 2 plastic hockey sticks. Two teams (5 players in each one)
compete in this game. The first players of the teams must pass one ball each
with the help of the stick to the finish-line. At the finish line there stands
a chair. The player must pass the ball round it and return back to his team
with the ball. The second player of each team passes 2 plastic balls, the third
- 3, the fourth - 4, the fifth - 5. It's very difficult, but amazing. The team
which manages to pass the greatest number of balls wins the game.
MERRY PORTERS. ( Active.)
You'll need 10 balloons for this competition. 2 players of each team
participate in it. Their task is to take 5 balloons (not by the strings)
and to carry them to the opposite wall of the room.
WHO SEWS FASTER? ( Active.)
Two teams take part in this game. The players of each team must "sew" the
players to one another as quickly as possible. Instead of the needle they use a
spoon with the long thread or string tied to it. The players may be sewed to
each other by the belts, straps or loops on the clothes.
WITH THE HELP OF THE TOES. ( Active.)
Two players compete in this game. To participate in this game the players must
take their shoes and socks off and sit down on the low chairs. On the floor in
front of each player there stand 2 plates. Near each plate there are 5 walnuts.
The task of the players is to put 5 walnuts onto the left plate with the help
of the left toes and 5 walnuts onto the right plate with the help of the right
toes. The player who fulfils the task the first wins the game.
WATER CARRIERS. ( Active.)
Draw 2 parallel lines at the distance of 10m from each other. Some players go
down on all fours before one of the lines. The leader puts a bowls of water on
the back of each of the player. The task of the players is to cross the
opposite line and return back.
GET THROUGH THE HOOP. ( Active.)
Two teams (6-15 players in each team)
form up in lines. The distance between the lines is 2-3 metres. The distance
between the players in the line is about 0,5 m. The player's task is to get
through the hoop (to each team is given one hoop)
and to pass it to the next player. The team the players of which fulfil the
task the first wins the game. This game may be more comic if the hoops are
replaced by the round elastic lace. These round elastic laces must be loose
enough to get through them.
PORTER. ( Active.)
The task of the player is to carry the chair from one part of the room to
another without using the hands; leaning against the floor with one foot and
one hand; without touching the floor with the feet; sitting on this chair;
jumping on this chair.
BE CAREFUL, PINOCCIO! ( Active.)
There is a cap on the head of one of the players. He/she is Pinoccio. The
leader tries to catch the player with the cap on his/her head. It's not easy,
because the players pass the cap to one another while running. As the leader
catches Pinoccio, they exchange their roles.
SPARROWS - FIDGETS. ( Active.)
Draw a circle on the ground (or on the floor). The size of the circle depends
on the number of players. The more the number
of players the more the size of the circle. All the players are accomodated
along the circle line. One of the players is "a cat". He/she is in the center
of the circle. All the rest players - "sparrows" - are beyond the circle. They
stand at the circle line. At the leader's signal "the sparrows" begin to jump
in and out the circle. "The cat" tries to catch the sparrows" while they are
within the circle. "The sparrow" which is caught becomes "the cat", and "the
cat" becomes "the sparrow". The game repeats itself.
ROBBERS. ( Active.)
For this game choose flat surroundings with plenty of secret places. The
players are divided into "policemen" and "robbers". The main policeman is a
sheriff. The robbers hide before the game begins. The policemen tie their arms
with the white kerchiefs or think of the other distinctive marks. They start
catching the robbers by their sheriff's instruction. The policeman who notices
the robber must say a password. Only on saying the password the policeman may
catch the robber. (About the password the players agree before the game begins.
The password is necessary to distinguish between the robbers and the policemen
in the dark.)
If the policeman cannot catch the robber single-handed he/she may call for
help of the other policemen. The caught robber is led to the sheriff. The
sheriff thinks of "a punishment" for him/her. Usually "the punishment" consists
in several joke strikes of the wisp. The caught and "the convicted" robber
becomes the policeman. He/she receives a white band or other distinctive mark
of the policemen. The robbers may also catch the policemen and turn them into
the robbers. For this the robbers must sneak up to the policeman, strike him
lightly and pronounce the password before the policeman pronounces it. If the
policeman says the password before the robber catches him/her, the robber has
to escape. The robbers pay much attention to the sheriff. They may sneak up to
him and catch him. So the sheriff must have bodyguards.
The rules of the game:
1. The robbers and the policemen may make different tricks, but they mustn't
confuse "the enemies" by changing the distinctive marks.
2. If the robbers hear the policeman saying the password, they mustn't catch
him/her. But the policeman may say the password only when he/she really sees
the robbers.
3. The game is over when one party is caught by the other or when the sheriff
is caught.
4. The players mustn't fight painfully. It's the main rule.
FIGHT FOR THE BANNER. ( Active.)
A small hill or a heap of sand is "a fortress". The players are divided into 2
equal parties. One party occupies a fortress. The players of this party stand
around the hill with their backs to each other. The leader of this party stands
on the top of the hill with the banner in his hands. Not far from the fortress
there drawn a line. It is "a trench" of the enemy party. At the signal of their
leader, the attacking party begins the assault of the fortress. The assault
consists in that the attacking party tries to pull off the defenders of the
fortress over the trench line. The player who is pulled off the fortress and is
over the trench line is considered to be a prisoner and cannot take part in the
game anymore. The defenders of the fortress try in their turn to pull their
enemies into their territory. The players of the attacking party who are pulled
into the territory of the fortress are the prisoners. The game is over when one
of the parties is so weakend that cannot continue fighting.
CRUCIANS AND PIKE. ( Active.)
At the opposite sides of the playground draw 2 lines (at the distance of 15-30
meters). There are "homes" of "crucians". All the players are "cruciaExpeditionns". The
leader
is "a pike". "The crucians" stand in one of their "homes". "The pike" is in the
centre of the playground. At the signal "the crucians" run to the opposite half
of their "home". "The pike" catches the running "crucians". 4-5 caught
"crucians" make a "net". They stand in a line in the centre of the playground.
"The crucians" run to their "home" at the opposite side of the playground
through "the net" (under the stretched arms of the players who make "a net").
"The pike" stands behind "the net" and catches "the crucians". "The crucians"
who are caught join "the net". When "the net" is large enough it makes "a
basket" (a circle). "The crucians" run through "the basket" and "the pike", who
stands behind
"the basket" catches them. When there are not many free "crucians", the caught
"crucians" make "a fish-trap" (they form up in 2 lines, as though making a
corridor). "The pike" stands near the end of the corridor (2 steps away from it)
and catches "the crucians". The game is over when all the crucians are caught.
The rules of the game: All "the crucians" must go through "the net", "the
basket", "the fish-trap" while running to the opposite side. The players who
violate the rules are out of the game.
HUNTER AND WATCHMAN. ( Active.)
The players choose "a hunter" and "a watchman". "The watchman" stands in the
middle of the playground in the circle with the diameter of 2 meters. All the
rest players ("the animals") run within the playground. "The hunter" runs after
them, trying to catch them.
The caught "animals" are led to "the watchman" by "the hunter". The caught
animals may be saved. To save "the animal" it's enough to strike it by the
stretched arm. But the players who save "the animals" mustn't step within the
circle. If the player who wants to save the caught "animal" is caught by "the
hunter" or by "the watchman", he/she is considered to be caught and he/she must
go into the circle. The game is stopped by the leader at his/her signal at any
moment.
KITE AND BROOD-HEN. ( Active.)
The players form up in file. They take each other by the waist. The first in
the line is "a brood-hen", all the rest are "chickens". One of the players is
"a kite". He/she tries to catch the last "chicken" in the line. "The brood-hen"
tries to prevent him/her from doing it. "The brood-hen" bars the kite's way by
the stretched arms. All "the chickens" try to help "the brood-hen", by moving
the end of the line away from "the kite". When "the kite" catches "the chicken"
the players will choose the new "kite" and "brood-hen". If "the kite" doesn't
succeed in catching "the chicken" for a long time, he/she is replaced by the
other player.
PEACOCK'S TRAIN. ( Active.)
This game is enjoyed by grown-ups as well as by children. Put some skittles on
the floor of the hall. Attach "a peacock's train" (made of many-colored ribbons)
to the waist of the player. The task is to walk between and round the skittles
and not to overturn them.
THE PRESENTS OF FATHER FROST. ( Active.)
Make up 3 teams (5-6 players in each: mother, father and children) . Their task
is to illustrate the leader's story. The leader: "On the New
Year's eve Father Frost brings some presents in the house. To father he gives a
comb. Let all the players imitate (with the, right hand) how he combs. To son
he gives ski. Show, please, how he skies! But don't stop
combing! (Then all the new movements are added to the previous ones). To mother
he gives a mincing-machine. The players must imitate the
minicing-machine rotation with their left hand. To daughter he gives a chinese
doll, which nods the head. "The players who manage to make all the movements
simultaneously win the game.
THE BALL OUT OF THE CIRCLE. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. They stand close to each other. The leader is in
the center of the circle. The players pass the ball behind their backs so that
the leader can't see it. The leader must guess who has the ball in his/her
hands. The leader points at the player who (to his/her mind)
has a ball in his/her hands. This player must hold out his/her hands forward
at once/ If he/she really has a ball in his/her hands, he/she becomes the
leader. If there is a greater number of players you may pass 2 balls at the
same time and have 2-3 leaders.
FOUR ELEMENTS. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is in the center. He/she throws the
ball to one of the players. On throwing the ball, he/she says either "Earth",
"Water", "Air" or "Fire". The player must catch the ball, throw it back to the
leader and name
any animal, if the leader said "Earth"
any bird, if the leader said "Air"
any fish, if the leader said "Water"
If the leader said "Fire" the player must raise the hands over the head and
turn around. The player who makes mistakes pays forfeit (fulfils the leader's
task) and becomes the leader.
SLEIGHT OF HAND. ( Active.)
On the coat-hangers there hang the clothes with the buttons and button- holes.
The players' task is to undo the buttons as fast as possible with the help of
small sticks or toy "arms-backscratchers". Each player is given the personal
coat hanger with the clothes and 2 sticks or 2 "arms-backscratchers".
TOILS OF TROUBLES. ( Active.)
"The toils" are netted out of many-colored ribbons and attached to the
gymnastic or ski stick. The players' task is to untangle "the toils" with the
help of toy "arms-backscratchers", a pointer or a sword. The players must do it
as fast as possible.
THE MOST PRACTICAL. ( Active.)
The player who manages to take and hold in his/her hands the greatest number of
different household utensils - saucepans, pans, mincing machines etc. - is the
most practical.
THE BEST SHOT. ( Active.)
The bottle stands on the floor. The players' task is to hit the opening of the
bottle with the pencil being blindfolded. The players hold the pencils with the
hands. To hit the bottle the players must stretch the arms. Each player may
make 3 attempts. The player who has the greatest number of successful attempts
is the winner.
PEAS. ( Active.)
The peas - are ping-pong balls of different colours. 2 players take part in
this game. Their task is to gather as many peas as possible. The peas (about 15
pieces) are thrown about the room (hall). There are 2 chairs with the little
buckets on them. The players gather the
balls with the help of the little scoop and put them into the buckets or
baskets.
BUSES, TRAMS, TROLLEY-BUSES. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams (6 players in each one). Choose 3 persons for a jury.
The teams number off. Each player must remember
his/her number. The players form up 2 lines in file. The distance between the
lines is 6-8 steps. Between the lines there stand 3 chairs. The first chair is
"a bus", the second - is "a tram", the third - is "a trolley-bus". The
instructor starts speaking: "It's early, early morning. All the people are
hurrying to work. There are many people at the bus-stops. Now in the distance I
see … I see… What do I see … Well, it's number 3 bus." His/her words the
instructor pronounces quickly. Both numbers "3" must take place on the first
chair. The player who takes the place the first brings a point to his/her team.
Numbers "3" return to their places. The instructor continues: "There were so
many people at the bus stop, that only 2 people managed to take the bus. (The
instructor marks out the words "two" and "bus".)
All the rest must wait again for the bus. Now I see number 1… tram (both
numbers "1" must take place on the second chair)
etc.
STOPPING. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2-3 teams (5 players in each one). The teams form up in lines.
The last player in each line gets a coin. He/she
puts it on the back of the hand. The task is to put the coin on the back of the
hand of the player next to without the assistance of the other hand. The
players pass the coin until the first player in the line gets it. If the coin
is dropped, the player who dropped it must put it again on the back of his/her
hand. At the distance of 7-10 meters in front of each team there stands a
chair. On the chair there are 10 tennis balls. The first player of each team
gets the spoon and runs to the chair. There he/she puts a coin on the seat of
the chair, picks up a ball with the help of the spoon, runs to his/her team,
puts the ball into the packet and passes the spoon to the next player. The team
which "buys up" all the balls the first wins the game.
SCHOOL OF FISH. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2-3 equal teams. Each player gets a paper fish (22-25 cm long
and 6-7 wide). A 1-1,2m long string is attached to the mouth of the fish. The
players fasten
the end of the string to the back so that the tail of the fish touches the
floor. Each team has fish of different colors. At the signal the players run
for each other, trying to step on the tail of the fish of their rivals. The
players mustn't touch the strings and the fish with the hands. The player who
"looses" the fish is out of the game. The team which manages to keep the
greatest number of fish wins.
PAPER ARROW. ( Active.)
For this game you need a paper plane. It's better to play this game when it's
windless. The players are divided into 2 teams. Draw a line on the ground. The
first player who is going to throw the plane stands on it. The player of the
second team throws the plane from the place where it landed. He/she throws the
plane in the opposite direction. The next player of the first team throws the
plane in the opposite direction from the place where it landed. So the players
of 2 teams take their turns in throwing the plane in the opposite directions.
If after the final throw the plane landed at the line, it means that both teams
threw the plane equally. If the plane landed far off the line in the direction
in which one of the teams threw the plane, this team wins the game.
RELAY RACE WITH THE BALLOONS. ( Active.)
2-3 teams 5-6 players in each may take part in this game. The task is to carry
the balloon on the head. If the balloon drops, the players pick it up and
continue to walk.
LET'S SWEEP THE FLOOR! ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams (7 players in each one). The teams number off and form
up in file. At the distance of 4 steps from the
first the player of each team there stands a chair. On the seat of the chair
there are 6 small twigs, on the back of it there is a string, near the chair
there is a dustpan. Behind the chairs the instructor throws little pieces of
paper. The instructor addresses the teams. He/she asks them to sweep the floor.
But the besom is unfortunately missed. So the players must make it themselves.
To make the besom all the players (beginning with the last in the line) run to
the chair one by one, take each a twig and give it to the first player.
When the first player has all the twigs in the hands he/she runs to the chair,
takes a string, binds the besom and gives it to the last player in the team.
The last player takes the besom, runs to the chair, takes a dustpan and gathers
all the pieces of paper into the dustpan. The team which finishes "the
tiding-up" the first wins the game.
RUNNING WITH THE TRAP. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams. Tie 2 balloons to each ankle of the players. These are
"traps". At the command the players of the teams run to the finish competing in
speed. The next player in each team begins to run when his/her partner has
reached the finish. For each burst balloon the team gets a penal point.
WITH THE BALLOON. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams. The teams form up in 2 lines. Between the lines there
are some skittles. The first player in each team is given a plate with the
balloon on it. At the leader's signal the players begin to run between the
skittles. The team which finished the race the first wins.
RING THE HANDBELL. ( Active.)
Put a handbell on the chair or on the stump (if you are in the forest). The
player stands with his/her back to the handbell. He/she is blindfolded.
He/she walks 10 steps forwards. There he/she is turned around for 2-4 times.
Then the player must come back to the handbell and ring it. The player who
manages to ring the bell gets a point. This game may be played in teams as well
as individually.
SIT ON A CHAIR! ( Active.)
One of the players is sitting on the chair. At the leader's signal the player
stands up, closes the eyes, makes 6 steps forwards, 2 steps to the right or to
the left. Not turning back the player must repeat all his/her movements and,
moving back to front, sit on the chair. The leader may change the task for the
players. The player who manages to fulfil the task gets the prize.
GO THROUGH THE CORRIDOR. ( Active.)
Put the skittles on the floor in 2 rows (5-6 skittles in each row). The width
of the corridor is 50-60cm. The distance between the skittles is
70-80 cm. The players' task is to go through the corridor. But before going
through the corridor the player must turn around for 7-8 times. The player must
turn around quickly with the right hand up, looking at the forefinger, or with
the hands on the back of the head, or with the hands on the ankles.
"THE BLINDS" GO MARCHING. ( Active.)
The stake is driven into the earth. All the players but one are blindfolded.
They stand in a circle around the stake. The distance between the stake and
"the blinds" is measured by the steps. Usually this distance is equal to 30-50
steps. "The blinds" are facing the stake. "The sighted" player begins to count
and all "the blinds" go marching to his/her counting in the direction of the
stake. When "the sighted" has counted up to the number of steps between the
stake and "the blinds", all the players stop and move away their fillets. The
players are usually surprised at seeing themselves having gone to the wrong
direction. "The blind" who manages to come to the stake becomes "the sighted",
and the former "sighted" becomes "the blind".
THOROUGH TIDING-UP. ( Active.)
It's a relay race game. Give to each team a rag, a basin with water, a bucket.
Put the basin at the start line and the bucket at the finish. The team which
manages to bring the greatest amount of water to the bucket, wins the game.
FOUNTAIN. ( Active.)
For this game you need a bucket of water, a glass, some skittles. Put a bucket
at the distance of 6m and some skittles at the distance of 3m from the start
line. The glass is "a fountain". The number 1 player runs to the bucket, ladles
some water from it with the glass and tries to knock down the skittles with the
jet of water from the glass.
DIVING. ( Active.)
2 teams take part in this game. For each team there must be a basin with water.
The players jump into the basin so as to splash as much water as possible. The
players jump into the basin in turn. The team which has the least water in the
basin - wins.
HOCKEY IN THE ROOM. ( Active.)
The mops - are "hockey sticks". The wet rug is "a puck". The buckets which lie
on one side are "the goals".
TO WASTE MONEY. ( Active.)
Each participant of this game is given a banknote. The players' task is to move
the money forwards by blowing on them. The players have 3 attempts. After each
attempt the players come to the banknote and blow on it again.
TABLE HOCKEY. ( Active.)
The instructor asks the players to pass "the puck" (a draught or a button)
with "the stick" (a pen or a pencil)
to the finish (2 glasses)
along the table.
FACING THE EARTH. ( Active.)
Suggest your guests to roll a ping pong ball or a walnut to the finish line
through the labyrinth of bottles. They must roll the ball or the walnut with
the nose, standing on all fours.
MOUNTAIN. ( Active.)
It's a mountain or a pyramid of caps. Any number of players may take part in
this game. In early times the whole villages took part in this game. On a flat
ground the players make "a foot" of the mountain. It consists of 3 caps. Then
all the players put their caps on the mountain one by one. They put their caps
until the mountain crashes down. The player who had put the cap the last before
the mountain crashed down becomes "the owner of the mountain". The next stage
of the game - the distribution of the caps. "The owner of the mountain" takes
cap by cap and order their owners to fulfil different tasks. If there are too
many caps in "the mountain", "the owner of the mountain" may give one and the
same task to several caps at once.
A BULGARIAN. ( Active.)
This game is played on the table covered with the table-cloth. The table is
divided into 4 equal parts. Each player has an equal number of pins with the
many-colored heads. The players stick the pins on their parts as they like. One
of the pins is stuck into the crossing of the lines which divide the table into
4 parts. This pin is a Bulgarian. If you have no pins with the many-colored
heads you should cut the tiny flags out of paper and place them on the pins.
Each player has 2 little balls. The players throw them in turn. The object is
to hit the rival's pins trying not to overturn the Bulgarian. The game is over
when the Bulgarian is overturned. The player who has the greatest number of
pins at that moment is the winner. According to a prearranged rule the player
who "looses" a pin puts a coin or two into the money-box. The player who
overturns the Bulgarian must pay the double sum of that is in the money-box.
The player who has all the pins hit is out of the game.
KNOCKER. ( Active.)
This game is played at a flat wall. The first player throws his/her little ball
against the wall (20cm above the floor)
. The ball bounces off the wall and rolls back to the player. The second player
does the same, trying to throw his/her ball so that it hits the ball of the
previous player (while bouncing off the wall). All the rest players do the
same. The player who hits with his/her ball one
of the balls which lie on the floor takes all of them. Every time the players
throw the new ball. The game lasts not for a long time, because it becomes easy
to hit one of the balls when there are over 20 of them on the floor. Instead of
little balls you may use big buttons.
TRAP. ( Active.)
Dig out a 9 cm deep hole near the wall. This is a trap. The players throw the
little balls or big buttons into it. The player holds 2, 4 or 6 balls or
buttons in the hand and asks: "Who wants to pawn 2, 4 or 6 balls?" One who
wishes to do it gives to this player 2,4, or 6 balls. The player takes them
with one hand and throws them together with his/her own ones into the trap. If
all the balls (buttons)
hit the trap or if there is an even number of them in the trap, the player
wins all these balls. If there is an odd number of balls in the trap the player
looses all his/her balls. In fact only 2 people take part in the game itself.
But the rounds are very short. So there may be over 12 people by the trap at
once.
BUTTON BATTLE. ( Active.)
There are 2 players in this game. Each of them takes 12 big buttons -
"soldiers" and 1 button - "an officer". Usually the players choose the most
beautiful buttons for "the officers". Besides, each player takes a metal button
- a bat. The players form up the lines of their buttons opposite each other at
the distance of 2 or more meters. The distance between the buttons in the lines
must be about the size of the bat. "The officers" are put at some distance
behind the lines. The players put the bat in turn, trying to knock out "the
soldiers" of the line. The button which considerably advances the line is
considered to be knocked out. The defter players usually consider the
overturned buttons to be knocked out. The knocked out "soldiers" are "the
captives" of the player who knocked out them. The player who manages to knock
out the rival's "officer" takes half of the rival's "soldiers". The game is
over when one of the players has more soldiers by four than his/her rival.
CAT AND MOUSE. ( Active.)
All the players (not more than 5 pairs) form up 2 lines facing each other. The
players in the lines hold each other by
the hands. In one line there are "the cats" in the other there are "the mice".
Between the lines there is "a hole". The first pair begins the game: "the cat"
is running for "the mouse". "The mouse" is running around the lines. In the
dangerous moment "the mouse" may hide in "the hole". As soon as "the mouse" is
caught by "the cat", the next pair continues the game. The former "cat" and
"mouse" stand in their lines again. The game goes on until all "the mice" are
caught by "the cats". The rules of the game: "the cat" must not run into "the
hole", "the cat" and "the mouse" mustn't run far from the lines.
GAME WITH THE KERCHIEF. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle in pairs. They choose 2 leaders. One of them is
given the kerchief. At the signal the leader with the kerchief runs away the
other leader. The leaders run outside the circle. The leader may give the
kerchief to any of the players in the circle and stand at his/her place. The
rules of the game: The leader may run only with the kerchief in his/her hand.
When the leader with the kerchief is caught the other leader is given the
kerchief. He/she is traced by one of the players from the circle. The game
starts at the signal.
THE MOON OR THE SUN. ( Active.)
2 players are chosen as leaders. They agree in private who is the Moon and who
is the Sun. All the rest players come to them one at a time. Each of them says
what he chooses - the Moon or the Sun (the players say about it quietly so as
nobody can hear it). The leader quietly says to the player whose team he/she is
to join. In such a
way the players are divided into 2 teams. The teams form up in file. The
players hold the player in front of by the waist. The teams try to pull each
other over the line drawn between them. Usually it's full of fun. The rules of
the game: If the captain of one of the teams (the Moon or the Sun)
oversteps the line, His/her team looses the game.
WEIGHTLESS BALL. ( Active.)
2 pairs are rivals. Instead of the goals use a hoop. The task is to pass the
balloon into the rival's hoop by the flicks. If the balloon falls on the ground
the rivals has the right to flick it the first.
SKITTLE-ALLEY. ( Active.)
The skittles are the plastic bottles (1,5 L). Passing the ball the players hit
the skittles. On the skittles there written
different numbers. The player who manages to get the greatest number of points
is the winner.
PORTER-2. ( Active.)
The task is to carry the tray with 10 ping-pong balls around the room (hall) in
5 seconds.
MERRY-GO-ROUND. ( Active.)
Drive a stake into the ground. At the top of the stake there is a revolving
ring. Tie 4 long strings to the ring. 4 players take these strings by the ends
and stretch them out. It's "a merry-go-round". Between the stretched strings
there stand some other players. The players who have the strings in their hands
run clockwise. The players who stand between the strings stand
counter-clockwise (while running they jump over the stretched strings). The
players who touch the strings while running are out of the game. Then the
players switch the roles.
STATUES. ( Active.)
The players are throwing the ball to each other. The player who lets the ball
fall must continue the game standing on one foot. If he/she succeeds in
catching the ball in this position he/she is allowed to stand on both of the
feet again. Otherwise the players must continue the game in "the kneeling
position". After the third mistake the player must kneel. If the player manages
to catch the ball in this position all "the fines" are repealed and the player
rises to his/her full height.
LITTLE CROWS. ( Active.)
Put 3-5 bottles with the wide necks on the table. Put "the heads" of little
crows (made of paper) on the necks of the bottles. Use little buttons of
different color "to feed"
the little crows. Each player uses the buttons of definite color. "The little
crows" which are closer to the players bring 3 points to the players. The
farther falls "the little crow" the more points gets the player.
AIRBORNE LANDING. ( Active.)
Make parachutes out of paper or light cloth. Attach a little weight to the
shroud lines. The object is to throw the parachute upwards. The parachute will
open and then land at the table. On the table there is a toy-target with the
circles and numbers. The number of the points the player gets is indicated on
the circle where the parachute lands.
GAME WITH THE SAUCEPANS. ( Active.)
Put 3 saucepans one into another (the less into a larger one). Move them to one
of the sides. The object is to hit the saucepans with the
ping-pong balls or little rubber balls from the distance of 2-3 meters. The
ball must fix in the saucepan. Only in this case the player gets his/her
points. The number of the points is indicated on the saucepans.
JUGGLERS. ( Active.)
Give the balloons to the players. The players must juggle with the help of the
nose. They mustn't help themselves with the ears or hands. The player who
manages to keep the balloon flying for the longest time may be called the
juggler.
ROPEWALKERS. ( Active.)
Each player is given a rope of 1,5-2m long. The object is to walk on the rope
up to its end. While walking the players must hold the end of the rope in the
hands. The players mustn't leave the rope and let it off. The player who
manages to fulfil the task the first (not letting the rope off and not leaving
it while walking) gets the prize.
CHAINS. ( Active.)
In this game there are 2 teams with the equal number of players. The teams form
up the lines at the both ends of the playground. The players hold each other by
the hands tight. The players of the first team cry all together: "Chains,
chains hammered, chains, chains fettered! Unfetter us!" The players of the
second team ask: "By whom of us?" The first team answers, e.g., "by Kate". Kate
runs to the first team and tries "to break" the joined hands of any of 2
players. If she succeeds in it she has the right to take one of the players
(whose joined hands were "broken" by her) to her own team. If Kate fails in
"breaking" the joined hands, she becomes the
member of the first team. The new members of the team usually stand in the
first "to unfetter" them. The game goes on until there is only one man in one
of "the chains".
SNAKE. ( Active.)
The players hold each other by the hands. They follow the leader. The leader
runs in winding way. While running the leader runs under the high raised arms
of the players ("makes knots").
The player who is in "the knot" must quickly turn around so as to renew the
chain ("snake"). The leader runs under the arms of all pairs in turn (makes
several "knots"). Sometimes the last player in the chain stands still and the
leader funs round
him/her until "the snake" coils up. Then "the snake" unwinds and coils up again.
EATABLE-UNEATABLE. ( Quiet.)
The leader names different objects. If the named object is eatable the players
are to clap the hands in front of them. If the named object is uneatable the
players are to clap the hands behind their backs. The leader names the
following objects:
"roll-doll-box-fox-jam-ham-lamb-plane-cane-cream-dream
-streat-meat-feet-pill-dill-crill-frill-honey-money-candy-dendy…"
The player who makes a mistake is out of the game.
SNOUT. ( Quiet.)
Draw a big muzzle of the pig without a snout on a large piece of thick paper. A
snout must be cut out of paper separately. The player is blindfolded and put at
the little distance from the picture. The object is to come to the picture and
put the snout at the place it should be. The player who does it the most
accurately wins.
HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO BE AN ANIMAL. ( Quiet.)
The instructor asks the players to remember the sounds of different animals.
The players must pronounce these sounds at the instructor`s command.
The instructor: "How wonderful it is to be a dog!
The players: "Woof, Woof!"
The instructor: " How wonderful it is to be a duck!"
The player: "Quack! Quack!"
Each of the players may make sounds only if the instructor points at him/her.
If the player loiters he/she is out of the game. The game is over when there is
only one player in it.
SPOILED TELEPHONE. ( Quiet.)
All the players sit in a row. The first player on the left side whispers
something in his neighbor's ear. The latter transmits it to his neighbor's ear
and so on. The first player on the right side announces aloud the word or the
phrase that came to him. Then the player who started the game announces the
word or the phrase with which he began the game. At times the distortion may be
very funny! After each "call" the players must exchange their seats so as
everybody can act as the first player on the left side and the first player on
the right one.
ELEPHANT. ( Quiet.)
The leader gives to each team a large piece of thick paper. Being blindfolded
the teams collectively draw an elephant. The first player in each team draws
the body, the second draws the head, the third-legs etc. The team which
finishes the drawing the first and whose drawing is the most accurate becomes
the winner.
SELF-PORTRAIT. ( Quiet.)
Each participant is given a large piece of thick paper with the openings for
hands. He/she passes the hands through the openings and begin to draw their
self-portraits. The participant who painted the best "masterpiece" gets the
prize.
GOOD NOSE. ( Quiet.)
The object is to name the flower by its smell. The players are blindfolded.
CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. ( Quiet.)
On a large piece of thick paper there drawn different bank-notes. They are
situated separately from each other. The player counts in the following way:
one dollar, one ruble, one mark, two marks, two rubles, two dollars etc. The
player who'll count the money rightly, not violating the rules will be "the
chief accountant".
FORFEITS. ( Quiet.)
One of the players is enumerating the letters of the alphabet to himself. Then
he/she is stopped. The letter at which he/she is stopped is the initial letter
in this game. For example, the first player is stopped at the letter "N". So
he/she says aloud that he/she is stopped at the letter "N" and pronounces any
word which begins with the "N", C.f. nose. (Mind, that the players mustn't use
personal nouns). The following player says - name, the third-news etc. If
someone cannot
remember the word which begins with "N", he must "pay off", i.e. to recite a
poem or to tell a funny story. It he/she feels too shy to do it he/she gives
his/her forfeit (a pen, a handkerchief etc)
and drops out of the game. So the leader gathers the forfeits. The last player
who remains in the game is called "a wordexpert". He must set a certain forfeit
for each player. "The word expert" turns his back to the players and the leader
asks him/her to set forfeits. Holding each forfeit above the head of "the
wordexpert" the leader asks: " What will this forfeit do?" Every player
remembers what to do. As a forfeit you may say a tonguetwister, recite a poem,
Sing a song etc. After setting the forfeits the players begin to carry out the
orders in turn.
CITIES. ( Quiet.)
The object is to name as many cities beginning with the letter "A" as possible.
The player whose variant is the last is the winner. When there are no more
variants the leader begins to count: c.f. Amsterdam - one, Amsterdam - two,
Amsterdam - three. Amsterdam wins!
FROM CITY TO CITY. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. The leader begins to name the cities. He/she,
for example, says: "Moscow". The player next to the leader names the city which
begins with the last letter of Moscow - "W". He/she says: "Warsaw". The next
player says, for example, "Washington". Then the players name, for example,
Novgorod, Dublin, New York etc. Each player has 3 seconds to think over his/her
variant. If he/she can't remember the name of the city in 3 seconds he/she is
out of the game.
GALLOWS. ( Quiet.)
Two players take part in this game. One of the players is "a hangman". He/she
thinks of a word, which consists of 7 letters and writes down the first and the
last letters of the word. Instead of the middle letters there are hyphens. Then
"the hangman" draws the gallows, where he/she will "hang" the player, if he/she
cannot guess the word. The player begins to guess the word, naming the letters.
If he/she guesses the letter "the hangman" inserts it into the word. It the
player doesn't guess the letter "the hangman" draws the head in the loop of the
gallows. After each wrong letter "the hangman" continues to draw the figure in
the loop. He/she draws the body, the legs, the arms. If the player guesses the
word before he/she is hanged he/she becomes "the hangman" in the following
round.
WHO IS A MONKEY? ( Quiet.)
The players choose the leader. He/she goes out. While the leader is absent the
players choose the monkey. When the leader returns, "the monkey" begins to make
movements - to shake the head, to stamp with the foot etc. The players repeat
all the movements. They must do it so as the leader cannot understand who is
the monkey. If the leader guesses who "the monkey" is, "the monkey" becomes the
leader in the next round.
PORTRAIT. ( Quiet.)
From behind the curtain each player shows to the leader his/her leg, arm, nose,
eyes, mouth. The task of the leader is to recognize the player. If the leader
recognizes the player after the first attempt he/she gets 5 points, after the
second attempt the leader gets 4 points, after the third-3 etc.
CINEMA. ( Quiet.)
The players think of the title of the film which consists of as many words as
there are the players (prepositions included), e.g. "Tender is the night". The
leader asks the first player the abstract
question. e.g. How did you spend your last weekend? The player gives a full
detailed answer in which there is the word "tender". The leader tries to guess
what word in the answer sound unnatural. In such a way with the help of logical
deduction the leader tries to guess the title of the film. The more complicated
is the disguise of the word the more interesting is the game.
ARTISTS. ( Quiet.)
The first player draws any detail of the future picture on the sheet of paper
so that the other players can't guess what is drawn. Then this sheet of paper
is given to the next player. He/she continues to draw. Each player has a
felt-tip-pen of his/her own color. The sheet of paper is returned to the first
player. He/she says what he/she intended to draw.
MERRY TRAIN. ( Quiet.)
This game is enjoyed by grown-ups as well as by children. Get ready the cards
with the tasks beforehand. At the party suggest your guests to travel by "the
merry train". All the guests who sit at the table are passing the envelope with
the cards around the table. While passing the envelope they all together recite
any poem about the train. As the rhyme finishes, the guest who has the envelope
in his/her hands must take a card with the task out of the envelope.
Samples of tasks for children:
1. Sing a song.
2. Say to the player next to you on the right: "What wonderful ears you've
got!"
3. You are a kangaroo. With the small box between the knees jump around the
table.
4. Draw a horse, being blindfolded.
5. Say any tongue twister 3 times.
6. Sit on a stool. Grab a small box which stands at one of the hind legs of the
stool with the teeth. (Do not touch the floor with the hands and feet!)
7. You are a butterfly. Show how you fly!
8. You are a bird. Show how you brood, how you fly for the feeding, how you
feed the nestlings.
9. You are a rooster. Show how you dig the ground, find the corn and call the
hens.
10. You are a train. Show how you get in and depart.
11. Put three candies into the mouth. Eat them!
12. Receive a prize!
Samples of tasks for grown-ups:
1. Tell a funny thing.
2. Perform a dance of little swans ("Swan Lake")
3. Sing a song.
4. Kiss the guest next to you on the right.
5. Perform a lezginka dance sitting on the chair.
6. Pay a compliment to a hostess.
7. Persuade the guest next to you on the right to drink a glass of wine.
8. Organize a choir out of all the guests. Sing a couplet of any song in a
choir.
9. Make an appointment for any of the guests.
10. Give a smile to all the guests.
11. Eat lemon slices smiling!
12. Drink a wine-glass of tea with pickled cucumber and say how tasty it is.
13. Propose a toast to all the present guests.
CAKE-CONCERT. ( Quiet.)
Serve a cake cut into pieces. In each piece there is a little flag with the
number. As the guests have taken the pieces, the host (ess)
announces that the numbers on the flags mean the following tasks:
- to sing a song;
- to recite a poem;
- to ask a riddle;
- to perform a dance;
- to perform a pantomime.
The guest mustn't eat his/her piece of cake until he/she fulfils the task.
GUESS! ( Quiet.)
One of the players is out of the room. All the rest think of the subject for
him/her to guess. For example, they think of a red rose, which is among other
subjects in the room. The guesser returns to the room and begins to ask
questions trying to guess the subject by its characteristics. Other players
answer his/her questions briefly: "yes" or "no". The guesser must formulate the
questions precise so as it would be possible to answer "yes" or "no". The
guesser may, for example, ask the following questions:
- It this subject animate?
- Is it a piece of furniture?
- Does it smell? etc.
The guesser who guesses the subject with the help of the least number of
questions wins the game.
PARTY'S SURPRISE. ( Quiet.)
Put a large, beautifully painted box on a raised place or hang it under the
ceiling. Near the box on the wall hang a poster proposing the players to guess
what is there in the box. The players write their variants of answers on the
sheets of paper and put them into a little box, which is situated not far from
the poster (sheets of paper and pencils are on the table near the poster). The
players mustn't touch, weigh or look inside the box. This game usually
lasts for 30-40 minutes. Then all the answers are given to the jury. The jury
chooses the winner. The answers may be different because the players are not
given any descriptions of the object in the box. In this game the answers are
based on the mere guesswork. Sometimes no one of the players gives the right
answer. In this case the jury tries to find the most similar answer. If there
are several right answers the jury distributes the contents of the box among
the players whose answers are right.
WHAT IS THE PAGE? ( Quiet.)
This game is similar to the previous one. But instead of the box you may use a
thick book, tied round with a cord. Somewhere in the middle of the book the
players can see a bookmark. They must answer at what page there is the
bookmark. The player whose answer is the most exact is the winner.
NOT TO THE POINT. ( Quiet.)
The leader asks the players different questions. The player who is asked a
question must give on answer which is not related to the question. The leader,
for example, asks: "Do you like our party?" and the player answers "I went to
the cinema" etc. The player who answers this question "yes" or "no" or "I don't
know" pays the forfeit. The game is played at a rapid rate. If the player
doesn't answer the question while the leader counts "one, two, three", he/she
pays the forfeit. The leader mustn't ask one and the same person more than 3
questions running. The leader tries to confuse the players c.f. The leader
asks: "Do you like our party?" The player answers: "The weather is bad". The
leader provokes him/her asking: "Is the weather bad?" The player answer "yes".
As it is against the rules the player must pay forfeit (or fulfil the leader's
task).
LOADING THE VAN. ( Quiet.)
6-8 or 10-12 players may take part in this game. The players form up a line.
Behind them there is a row of chairs. The players sit down on them. The leader
says: "Imagine, that in a branch-line there stands an empty van. You must think
of the name of goods with which you may load the van. "Then the players
pronounce their variants in turn. The players name different things: cotton,
vegetables, chairs, a cow etc. The leader loudly repeats each word pronounced
by the players so as the audience can hear it. It's a kind of training. Before
the beginning of the game the players stand up. The leader speaks out the rules
of the game: 1) The name of the goods must begin with the letter suggested by
the leader. 2)
The time for thinking of the answer is limited. The player who can't think of
the answer within the limits pays the forfeit, sits on the chair and drops out
of the game. 3) On having asked all the players, the leader names another
letter of the
alphabet and the game goes on. 4) At the end of the game the winners get the
prizes.
"YES" AND "NO" IN BULGARIAN. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is in the center. He/she speaks to
the players: " You know that many gestures are international, for example, some
gestures of threat. But there are some differences in the sense of one and the
same gestures in different countries. So, Russian people shake their heads in
token of negation. But the Bulgarian, on the contrary, shake their heads in
token of consent, while they nod their heads in token of negation. Now I want
to ask you some questions in Russian, but you must answer them in Bulgarian".
You may ask the following questions: Have you had dinner today? Do you like to
dance? Do you know the name of the person next to you?
WHAT IS MY NAME. ( Quiet.)
Put a big, beautiful doll on the eminence, so that everybody can see it. Under
its arm put an envelope with the sheet of paper with the name of the doll. Near
the doll put a beautiful sac with the inscription "Prize". Hang the poster on
the wall. Get ready some pencils and some sheets of paper for answers. The
prize is given to the winner. If there are several correct answers, the prize
is raffled off among the winners.
DETERMINE THE LENGTH. ( Quiet.)
The players' task is to determine the length of the ribbon (in cm), which hangs
under the ceiling. Hang up a little weight to the end of the
ribbon. The player who determines the length correctly is the winner.
WHAT IS THE VOLUME? ( Quiet.)
To guess the volume of the non-standard vessel in cubic cm. The player who
guesses is the winner.
TWO SIGNALS. ( Quiet.)
Those who want to get a prize form up in a line. Their task is to raise and
lower the right hand at one whistle quickly. At two whistles they mustn't raise
the hands. The players who make mistakes are out of the game. The most
attentive gets the prize.
NEIGHBOR'S HAND. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is walking in the center of it. The
leader comes to one of the players and says: "Hands up!" This player must stand
still, but both of his/her neighbors (on the right and on the left)
must raise their hands. The neighbor on the right raises his/her left hand.
The neighbor on the left raises his/her right hand. The player who is mistaken
becomes the leader. Before the game begins the leader rehearses with the
players so that everybody understands what hand to raise.
DON'T IMITATE! ( Quiet.)
Put 5 identical items on the table. Round the table there are the players (not
more that 7)
and the leader. Each player has an unsharpened pencil in his/her right hand.
The leader names one of the items and quickly puts his/her own pencil near it.
The players must put their pencils near this item at the same time with the
leader. Suddenly the leader names the item, but puts his/her pencil near the
other. The players mustn't imitate the leader. They must put their pencils near
the item that was named by the leader. Those who make mistakes are out of the
game for 3 leads. The tempo of the game grows little by little. On the table
there appear new items. The number of them may be about 10-15 (it depends on
the reactivity of the players). The player who is often mistaken pays forfeits.
CLAPS. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. They stand at the distance of stretched arms
from each other. The leader is in the centre of the circle. He/she counts
aloud: one, two, three etc. The players get ready to clap their hands. But they
may clap their hands only when the leader names the number which ends at 5 or
is divisible by 5. The leader tries to confuse the players. He/she claps
his/her hands not in time. The player who is not attentive pays forfeits.
Repeat the game for several times. The game may become more difficult by
introduction of the new numbers - 3, 4, 6 etc.
FISHES, ANIMALS, BIRDS. ( Quiet.)
The leader points at the players in turn, speaking as though mechanically:
fishes, animals, birds. And suddenly he/she points at one of the players not in
turn: "animals!" In 3 seconds this player must name any of the animals. If the
player makes mistakes (names the fish or the bird instead of the animal)
or can't remember the name or names the animal which was already mentioned,
he/she becomes the leader.
NOSE, NOSE, NOSE, MOUTH. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is in the centre of it. He/she is
speaking: nose, nose, nose, mouth. On speaking the first three words he/she
touches the nose; but on speaking the word-mouth he/she touches any other part
of the head instead of the mouth. The players mustn't repeat the wrong
movements. They must do everything the leader says. The player who is mistaken
is out of the game. The most attentive is the winner.
SHADOWS. ( Quiet.)
Put a white sheet on the wall. One of the players sits down on the chair facing
the sheet. At the opposite wall of the room is a lamp on the table. All the
players walk between the lamp and the guesser in turn. The guesser must
recognize the players by their shadows. (He/she mustn't look back). The players
try to change their shadows: they raise the shoulders, stoop or
change the hairdress. The player who is recognized becomes the guesser in the
following round.
BANK ACCOUNT. ( Quiet.)
The players are given the glass jars. The jars are closed. In the jars there
are the double folded banknotes of different denomination. The task of the
players is to count the sum of "account" without opening "the bank".
FAMILIAR NOISES. ( Quiet.)
All the players sit not far from the leader. Standing with their backs to the
leader, the players must guess the source of noise. The leader makes different
kinds of noises and sounds with the help of different objects.
GUESS THE WORD. ( Quiet.)
The instructor names one word. It may be the name of the person whose birthday
it is, or any of the nouns, e. g. "holiday". The instructor has some prizes in
the sac. The number of the prizes is equal to the number of the letters in the
word the instructor has named. The name of the first prize begins with the
letter "h" (the first letter of this word), the name of the second prize begins
with the letter "o", the third - with the
letter "l" etc. The instructor asks: "What is there in my sac the name of which
begins with the letter "h"?" The players try to guess. The player who guesses
gets this prize. Then the players try to guess what is there in the sac the
name of which begins with the letter "o" etc. If the instructor names the word
"holiday" in his/her sac there may be the following prizes: a toy hen or
hedgehog, an orange, a lollipop, an ink-pad, a toy drum, an apple, a package of
yoghurt. Sometimes its not easy to guess what kind of prizes are there in the
sac. That's why the instructor may help the players saying: "eatable -
uneatable" etc.
CABBAGE. ( Quiet.)
Wrap up the prize in paper. Paste a sheet of paper with the riddle on the
wrapping. Wrap up the prize once again. Do it 10 times. The players get into a
circle. The instructor gives the wrapped up prize to one of the players. The
player takes away the 1-st wrapping, reads the riddle to him/herself. If he/she
answers the riddle he/she says answer aloud. The player who answers this riddle
has the right to take away the next wrapping, etc. The player who manages to
answer all the riddles is the winner.
WHERE IS THE CLOCK? ( Quiet.)
All the players are blindfolded. The leader hides the alarm-clock somewhere in
the room. The players (not more than 4) stand along the wall. They listen to
the ticking of the clock and cautiously
walk in the direction of the ticking. The leader noiselessly changes the
location of the clock 2-3 times. The player who comes to the clock nearer than
1m gets a point. The player who has the greatest number of points wins.
BLIND MONEY-CHANGERS. ( Quiet.)
Take as many coins of different value as possible. Give them to 2 players so
that each of them has one and the same sum. Both players are blindfolded. One
player gives a coin to the other. He/she must change it. Then they exchange the
roles. They exchange the roles again and again. All the time the players check
up the work of each other. In a fixed number of leads the game is over. The
players move away their fillets and count the money they have. If both players
have the same sums they had before the game started, both of them are winners.
Otherwise both players loose the game.
THIEVES AND DETECTIVES. ( Quiet.)
All the players are given the sheets of paper with the figure (1 or 2). The
number of the sheets of paper with the figure 1 is equal to the number of
sheets of paper with the figure 2. The players choose the leader - the main
thief. He/she goes out of the room. The players who are in the room hide any
object there. The leader's task is to find it. He/she tries to find the object
with the help of the players-thieves (they have figure 1 on their sheets of
paper). The players-thieves show place where the object is hidden by their
eyes. The
task of the detectives (they have figure 2 on their sheets of paper) is to
watch the players and find the thieves among them. The game is over when
the hidden object is found or when all the thieves are "caught" by the
detectives.